The German Historical Museum in Berlin has won first prize in the “Marble Architectural Award 2006” (MAA). The result of the competition was announced in the Architecture Centre (DAZ) in Berlin at the end of March. The architectural award organized by the International Marmi e Macchine (IMM) of Carrara and the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE) is presented annually in different geographical regions. Entries for this year’s award were restricted to architects with projects implemented in Europe.

The works entered from 32 countries were divided into three categories. The first prize in the category “building enclosure” was presented ex aequo to two architects who have influenced the scene for a long time: Ieoh Ming Pei (New York) with Eller + Eller GmbH (Düsseldorf) for the construction of the hall of the German Historical Museum Berlin and Sir Norman Foster for the hall of the British Museum in London. With his work on the hall of the Historical Museum in 2003, I.M. Pei, the Chinese-American architect and former student of Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer, has again proved his high degree of sensitivity in handling historic buildings and contemporary design.

The jury emphasized the successful dialogue between the materials used: limestone (Magny), granite (Mason) and exposed concrete. The star British architect Sir Norman Foster created one of the largest covered spaces in Europe with his steel and glass design for the Great Court of the British Museum in 2000. The use of limestone in combination with the undulating glass dome gives the building lightness. The jury paid special tribute to the arrangement of limestone and incident light.